Hello everyone,

I usually start off my messages to you full of joy about everything happening in our watershed, but this past month has been a hard one for all of us here at CSWC. As you have probably heard via our social media or email, the CSWC office and garage were victim to a break-in and extreme vandalism. We are in the process of cleaning up the mess, taking inventory of what needs to be replaced, and working to make our office area safer for staff, volunteers, and program participants. I and the entire staff and I have been bolstered by the support of our community, from messages of support and kindness to donations to replace stolen items and financial support. This support of from our community has not gone unnoticed and has made me realize just how special this community is; thank you to everyone who stepped up in so many ways.

The good news is that I am excited to announce some staffing changes!

Berenice Martinez joined us as our new Office Manager and Bookkeeper. She started as a temp in July and quickly became known to the team as a dependable, smart, sassy, and kind teammate. We are excited to have her join our team!

Maya Hurst-Mayr was promoted to Development Manager. She joined CSWC about a year and a half ago as our Grants and Community Outreach Manager. It became quickly apparent that Maya is a natural fundraiser with a mind for out-of-the-box thinking and no fear when making “the ask.” I am excited to see where Maya takes this new position for her and the organization.

Lastly, we have a lot going on in August, and as always, I encourage you to check out our events calendar and join us on a paddle, a bat walk, or one of the many other outdoor adventures you can participate in with CSWC!

In Solidarity,

Heather King

Executive Director

PS: If you would like to make a donation in support of CSWC, you can easily do so here.

Thank you Great Slough Cleanup

Volunteers

Thanks to the dedication and hard work of our amazing volunteers, we were able to make a significant impact on health and beauty of our beloved slough!

2024 Work statistics:

• Two worksites in the watershed (1 on land, 1 on water)
• Over 55 CSWC Volunteers
• 22 cubic yards of trash removed
• 9 tires!

A huge shout out to community member Rick! He joined the land crew to remove recyclable items from our pile headed for the landfill. We filled his truck bed and he delivered these items to a local facility that takes recyclable items that curbside cannot take. Thank you Rick!

Annually at the Great Slough Cleanup we give out the Golden Picker Award to a stand out community member. This year we gave out two Golden Pickers - one to Steve Cameron, and one to Jackie Lang.

Steve has been a long time volunteer, built and continues to help maintain our bimaran boards that make our paddle programming possible. You'll see him at just about every cleanup we host with his partner Melina - thank you Steve!

Jackie, a new volunteer and employee at Waste Management, encouraged her co-workers to come out for the event, was the last one out cleaning, and was such a community leader throughout the event. We cannot wait to work with you again!

CSWC's Earth Poetry Night!

Join us for an evening of poetry and reflection at our first Earth Poetry Night.

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

5:30 PM  7:30 PM

Kelly Point Park

This event, led by our Community Events & Marketing Intern, Dim, will explore our collective relationship with nature through diverse perspectives.

This event aims to foster dialogue within our community where participants can deepen their understanding of the importance of nature and addressing environmental challenges.

SAVE THE DATE:

Plants for the Planet -

Proceeds for the Community

Sparrowhawk Native Plants partners with community organizations to provide habitat-friendly and climate-resilient native plants to local gardeners, while giving back tens of thousands of dollars to conservation efforts.

This fall, we’re teaming up with People of Color Outdoors, Columbia Slough Watershed Council, By our powers combined, over 40,000 native plants will take root and about $20,000 will go back to these inspiring community partners. Order plants starting on Sunday, August 18th at 9am for October pick-up!

Slough Crew News!

Welcome to the Team Berenice!

Born and raised right here in the Slough and being a first-generation Mexican American, have driven Berenice to cherish the home her family has created.

With over four years working with nonprofit organizations through the accounting lens, Berenice has witnessed firsthand how amazing things can come from the community coming together. Over her short time with the great

Columbia Slough, she has witnessed nothing short of that.

Berenice is excited to become a part of the mission and strives to contribute her growing skills to ensure our environment and community remain our main focus.

Congratulations on your promotion Maya!

We are thrilled to share some fantastic news with all of you! It is with great pleasure that we announce the promotion of Maya to the position of Development Manager. This promotion is a testament to her hard work, dedication, and outstanding contributions to our team.

Since joining our organization, Maya has consistently demonstrated exceptional skills, a strong work ethic, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Her innovative ideas and collaborative spirit have significantly contributed to our success, and we are confident that she will continue to excel in her new role.

In case you missed

Explorando el Columbia Slough!

What an amazing day we had at Explorando!

Our community came together to enjoy a day filled with fun activities, delicious food, and great company.

A HUGE thank you to our incredible sponsors and community partners who made this event possible!



Your support means the world to us and helped create unforgettable memories for everyone who attended. We can't wait to see you all at our next event!

You're Invited!

Join local Portland author, Bruce Campbell, for a reading and book launch of his latest novel, "High Noon On Come Along Slough".

Sunday, September 15th

4-6pm

Level Beer on NE Marine & 148th Ave

Books will be available for purchase during the even or you can purchase on here.



"Rampant human pollution threatens the animals living on Come Along Slough. They form a shaky alliance to survive."

Native to the Slough : Lady Fern

Athyrium filix-femina, the lady fern or common lady-fern, is a large, feathery species of fern native to temperate Asia, Europe, North Africa, Canada and the US.

It is often abundant in damp, shady woodland environments and is often grown for decoration.